1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and more particularly to MEMS structures compatible with integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are very small mechanical devices driven by electricity. Typical MEMS devices include sensors and actuators, which may be used in various applications, e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, and pressure sensors. Although a MEMS device may be manufactured using various materials and manufacturing techniques (e.g., silicon, polymers, metals), manufacturing a MEMS device on a semiconductor substrate provides the ability to incorporate an integrated circuit into the manufactured device. For example, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit may be formed on the silicon substrate in conjunction with the MEMS device. However, a manufactured CMOS integrated circuit will irreversibly degrade at temperatures above a threshold temperature (e.g., 450° C.). That temperature threshold limits the materials and semiconductor manufacturing techniques that may be used to fabricate a MEMS device on the same substrate as the manufactured CMOS integrated circuit.